Yaruki Zero Podcast #12: More Random Thoughts

Much like Episode 7, this time around I briefly talk about a number of different topics, notably Nechronica (Ryo Kamiya’s forthcoming game), A-Kon (an anime con I’ll be attending as a guest of honor), Neko Machi (the webcomic I write for), and Adventures of the Space Patrol (a game I’m working on).

While listening to the podcast I heard about trying to get into another demographic (Twilight conventions etc.) However, I haven’t heard of an RPG game that is for that target demographic. The ones you seem to showcase seem to have men in mind (maids, dolls, cat girls, etc..) Are there any RPG games that focus on more “shoujo” content like butlers, sworn protectors (think Haruka naru toki no naka de), and stuff like that?

There have been a couple of attempts at general shoujo anime/manga RPGs, notably HeartQuest and that one BESM supplement, though I don’t know that they really succeeded from a design standpoint or were particularly marketed well. OTOH I don’t know of any “reverse harem” RPGs, in English or even in Japanese, despite the fact that the Japanese TRPG scene has quite a few women involved.

In terms of more Western-style stuff, Witch Girls Adventures is aimed at tween girls (with kind of a manga-influenced American comics thing going). The works of some of the women who design indie games (most anything by Emily Care Boss and the recently-released Kagematsu, although not “shoujo” per se, could hold a lot of promise for that kind of audience. (Kagematsu in particular is practically designed to get gamers to lure non-gamer women they know to play.)

And failing that, Ben Lehman is working on a game called “Hot Guys Making Out.” ^_^;